Date:         Mon, 17 Jul 2000 21:07:29 -0700
Reply-To:     Ty Graham <tyg@oz.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ty Graham <tyg@oz.net>
Subject:      ARB freezer/fridge report -- It rocks!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I took my Westy with ARB freezer/fridge out this past weekend.

The trip was Seattle to Wenatchee the first night then up to Winthrop for
the second night, returning to Seattle via highway 20.  About 450 miles
total in 90 degree heat.  (Yeah, but it's a dry heat ...)

In any case the ARB running off 12v just rocked!  Drinks were ice cold, not
the luke cold that I get from my perfectly functioning Dometic.  The
location behind the passenger seat was more convenient and more secure to
open -- no more bracing for falling food.  I mostly cook outside; fridge
access from the exterior is actually more convenient.

The noise level of the running fridge was a periodic, every 20~ minutes for
2~ minutes, hum that made no impact on my sleeping.  Not as quiet as the
Dometic, but quiet enough.

I need to get a voltage check to see how long the ARB can run off the Optima
aux battery.  Batt gauge showed yellow for the last hour or so of a 24 hour
overnight.  Previous testing in my driveway showed 3 days to be no problem.
I've still not tested the freezer.

I am now envisioning a world where the ARB is my only fridge.  I'd like to
put some drawers with a docking station for my Dell in the current Dometic
location.

Down side is that we blazed through the super refreshing cold drinks.  I
need a larger fridge; I only have the 1 cubic foot model.  I might be buying
up a model if I go to exclusive use.

Pics of the fridge at my site: http://www.oz.net/~tyg/TyG/Carat.htm

Here's where I bought it.
http://www.offroad-accessories.com/arb/freezer.html

Ty Graham
'90 Carat
'91 Syncro Westy
'86 Syncro doublecab